


separated

by essencede



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Genre: Apocalypse, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-29 12:57:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16744426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/essencede/pseuds/essencede
Summary: a disease spread several years ago, destroying the world and changing society forever. catra and adora have been been together since childhood, raised in the horde, and the apocalypse doesn't change that.they've never been separated until now, when one night on a hunt for supplies, there's a herd. they get separated and both will be changed by that night.





	separated

"you two will go out and hunt for supplies tonight. we are running out," shadow weaver informs the two.

they accept the mission and grab their backpacks with weapons. catra is grateful that no matter what, she's always partnered with adora, but she knows it's because shadow weaver dislikes her. she thinks adora is the best out of all the survivors in the horde, and she only keeps catra to keep her happy. 

"you okay?" adora checks on her, tilting her head slightly and studying catra.

"yeah, what do you mean?" catra questions, running her fingers through her shorter hair. she misses her long hair, but she knows it isn't safe to have.

"shadow weaver can be an ass to you and i know what she did to—"

"i'm fine," catra assures, not wanting to be reminded of her childhood.

shadow weaver always hated her and after a disease started spreading, killing everyone, those feelings strengthened. the feelings between the horde and the rebellion worsened with these other issues, their own people dying quicker, daily. 

"goddamnit," catra swears with fists clenched. her nose is filled with the smell of fresh blood and rotting bodies. 

there's a herd, bigger than any they've seen before. adora steps back into catra, clenching her teeth and huffing.

"i can't use my gun. i definitely don't have enough bullets," she whispers to catra and takes out a crowbar from her bag. 

she sticks in the gun in her back pocket, just in case. the two childhood friends look each other in the eyes, knowing this could the end. they've been close to it many times, but there's been nothing like this. adora's hand cups catra's cheek, giving her a smile that she can barely see. the moonlight is their only source of light which leaves a lot unnoticed. they can barely see the crimson of adora's jacket or the freckles dispersed on catra's cheeks and nose. 

"promise me you'll be there," catra's voice is soft and husky, full of fear and desperation.

adora pauses, unsure if she wants to respond. she doesn't know whether to keep this promise or say goodbye now. she can't imagine dying, not breathing, not sleeping next to catra, not training every morning. she can't imagine being separated from catra after being attached to the hip all these years. her chest tightens and she wants to go back, train some more and pretend everything is okay. she breathes in and nods her head before her hand drops to her side, no longer warm from catra's cheek.

"let's go," adora says, prepared for the worst. 

they can barely see the building in the distance with all the figures walking around, moaning and groaning. they're tired of this disgusting smell making them nauseas and those groans filling the air. 

they begin to attack, adora kicking them down and bashing their heads in. her once white undershirt is becoming even more brown. one tries to attack her so she hits it hard in the head, making it fall to the side. catra uses her claws and brass knuckles to kill them. she also jumps on top of them, knocking them down before ending their second lives. 

the longer this battle goes on, the farther the two get from each other and the more fatigued they get. adora wishes they had bombs and shadow weaver's shadows to confuse them. adrenaline rushes through her, making her faster and the world seem to slow down. she wants to keep her promise, win this fight, live forever with her best friend. 

that's until pain sears through her arm, making her want to scream, making her want to sob. her life is over, she's sure. she holds back a scream, not wanting to draw more attention to herself and catra. if she's going down, she's not bringing down catra with her. 

she hears gunshots and a girl appears next to her, looking breathless and focused. she grabs adora and all of a sudden, she's next to this girl and this taller boy who looks around her age. 

"what the hell?" she mutters, staring at the two confusedly, squinting to try to see their features. "i'm bit. why did you save me?" 

"shit," the girl mutters as she tries to catch her breath. 

"save catra. save my friend. please. she's alive, she's there, i'm going to die. i don't matter, she does!" adora wants to shout but she knows she shouldn't. she talks loudly, getting her desperation—her point across. 

"we—i can't—my powers. i'm sorry, but i can't. we wanted those supplies after hearing the horde attacked this place, but it looks as if we can't. i'm too tired," the girl says sadly as her friend shoots the dead with his bow and arrow. 

"goddamnit," adora sobs, feeling so weak and defeated. she's dying and leaving catra on her own. 

"we can bring you back and take care of you until you..." the boy suggests quietly and the girl nods her head. 

"yeah, maybe you'll be immune to this disease or something," the girl says hopefully.

"whatever, fine," adora gives in, not wanting to say goodbye to catra. she doesn't want her best friend to see her like this, this weak. dying. almost dead. 

they march through the woods as silent as they can. adora is not the type to give up, but she can't help but feel hopeless in this moment. she wishes she was never assigned this damn mission. she hopes catra will make it out and complete it for her. 

after twenty minutes of walking, the nausea is starting to hit and she feels kind of lightheaded. she holds her head with one of her hands and continues at the same pace. 

"you okay?" the boy asks, turning around.

"yeah, it's just hitting," she mutters emotionlessly, trying to accept that this is the end. she's bitten. she's dying. this is it. 

"the nausea?" the short girl asks with worry.

"yeah, but it's not super bad. i just feel a little sick, but i don't have to throw up," adora replies, her voice laced with emptiness. 

"when did you last eat?" the girl asks with concern.

"i don't know, maybe yesterday and it wasn't much," adora replies with a shrug. 

"we'll give you some food and you'll feel a little bit better," the girl assures and adora sighs.

"why don't you just shoot me? i'm going to die and i don't want to infect your people," adora says, looking up at the sky, at the moon. she's looked at that moon so many nights, so many times, and this'll be the last time. 

she wants catra so much right now, her warmth, her jokes, her tail around her, those mismatched eyes staring at her. she could cry right now and she wants to cry in the arms of her best friend. the girl who is always there, by her side, protecting her. 

"what's your name?" the girl asks. "i'm glimmer and this is bow."

"adora."

"adora, stop being so hopeless. we've seen so many people die, i'm sure you have to, but we've also seen people live." she pulls up her sleeve, revealing a bite mark, it sticks out of her skin and the veins are incredibly noticeable. "i've lived. i got bit a year ago and i'm still here now. you could be like me, so stop being so hopeless. and instead of pitying yourself, remember the good times, enjoy your last bit of life if this is it."

"you've got to be joking," adora says, staring at the bite and grabbing glimmer's arm. "how? how?"

"i don't know, but people live and those who have lived, we're the key to a cure," she says and takes her arm back, pulling down her sleeve.

adora doesn't say anything, she silently hopes that this isn't it. she prays to see her best friend again and hold her close. she hopes for the cure to be made in her lifetime. her emotions consume and overwhelm her. this revelation and these emotions splash her, like a gigantic wave in the sea, splashing and sinking into the sand. 

they then arrive at the castle, it's gigantic and she's shocked. it's clear that it has looked better, but it's still so beautiful. beautiful things usually die, especially in this cruel world.

her sickness then hits her hard, her stomach aching even more, her arm feeling numb yet burning at the same time, and now her vision is even worse. she can barely see a thing which makes her fall, letting out a tiny yelp and a groan.

bow takes her in his arms. "are you awake?"

"yeah, i'm sorry, i can't see well," she confesses and he looks to glimmer.

she grabs onto to the two of them and suddenly, they're in another room. bow puts her down on a soft surface, which is unfamiliar to her, sleeping on those hard beds for years. she feels so tired, but she's terrified to sleep. her heart is racing, her hands are sweating and her body is aching. she doesn't want to shut her eyes though they feel as if they weigh a hundred pounds.

her mind protests, but she passes out. her world is ripped away from her and the pain dulls, but she still feels it in her dreams.

***

catra sits on adora's bed, her hair freshly cut once again. her knees are pulled to her chest and her eyes are focused on adora. adora gives her a hopeful smile. she has just been scolded by shadow weaver once again, reminded that she is nothing. adora is the only reason she's alive, that she's allowed in the horde. even though she's kind of jealous of this girl, she looks up to her and her stomach races at the sight of her. she loves meeting those blue eyes, hearing a laugh leave those lips, holding her close. 

"do you think this'll ever end?" the fifteen year old asks adora.

"i don't know. i hope so, but as long as we have each other, i don't care," adora admits and catra's lip quivers before getting punctured with her tooth.

"i love you," catra says this once again; she's said it so many times and she means it every time. adora is the only reason she's alive, that she can be happy even if it's a short time. 

"i love you too," adora says and catra pounces on her, her arms around her tighter than ever.

"don't leave me," catra begs, sniffling and adora nods her head.

"i don't want to. ever," she says as catra pulls back, her cheeks flushed and her eyes teary. "i won't," she promises and wipes away a tear from catra's eye. 

love is against the rules, unless it's to reproduce which neither of them could do with the other. they both couldn't resist giving in just once, letting their desire control them. their lips met and it was passionate, calming them but making their hearts race. catra wanted this for so long, to have adora be just hers for a moment. they pull away with warm cheeks and pupils dilated. 

adora feels so content and this feels so right. but she knows it would be seen as wrong. two girls is wrong. they can't reproduce for the horde. love is forbidden between anyone. 

she hates that it's wrong because it feels so right. so amazing. this is one of the best moments of her life. same for catra, proud of herself for acting on this dream. 

"this is wrong," adora says making catra's heart ache and her stomach drop. "but i loved it."

"me too," catra whispers and adora pulls catra's face close to hers. 

"give me one more kiss and that's it," adora begs and catra complies. it's quick and rough but still amazing.

they try to forget this terrible world, these rules, all the tough training, the trauma. their lips tingle and they both desperately want more, but they know they can't. 

they pull away once more, radiant and infatuated with one another, but after a minute, they ache. they want each other but know they can't be romantic, be anything more than best friends and partners. at least not here.

***

catra has killed so many of the dead and spent so much energy trying to find adora. she wanted to find her alive so badly, but there was nothing. there was no trace of her and it kills catra inside. she wants her friend back. this girl couldn't be gone. she wanted to conquer the world with her best friend, rise in the ranks of the horde.

she screams into adora's pillow before taking in the calming scent of adora. she lays there for a long time, remembering their first and last kiss, their spars together, their journeys, everything. catra wants to fall asleep and for adora to come up to her and wake her up. she wants to hug her. wrap her arms and tail around the blonde. tears trickle down her freckled cheeks. 

she passes out after two hours of crying, screaming, and laying in silence. 

***

adora's eyes flutter open and then quickly close due to the bright light searing her eyes. she winces and lets out a hiss. her head feels better and she can see just fine. 

she takes a glance at her arm, seeing the bite healing and the pain is lesser. she's confused as to where she is and how the hell her bite is healing. 

"hey," glimmer says and she can finally know what the girl looks like exactly.

her pink hair is short and she wears a dirty, pastel purple jacket and dark blue jeans. she also wears pastel blue gloves which are incredibly worn from fighting over the years. she has tan skin and pink eyes, a color close to her hair.

"am i in the castle?" adora asks, yawning and stretching. 

"yeah, you're getting treated and it seems that you're getting better. we do need to get some of your blood, if you don't mind," glimmer says and adora nods her head.

"whatever you need," she says and glimmer smiles.

"thanks for the cooperation," glimmer says and rests her hand on adora's thigh. "how do you feel?"

"the same as always, a little hungry, but i'm not dizzy or nauseas anymore. my arm hurts a little, but that makes sense," adora replies and glimmer nods her head.

"so, you're from the horde?" glimmer questions, standing up and backing away slightly as a man in a white coat walks in.

he has glasses, pastel blue hair and dark blue eyes. he greets them and keeps quiet as he gets everything he needs together. 

"yeah, and you're from the rebellion?" adora asks and then winces when a needle is stuck in her bitten arm. 

"yes, and you would be of great use to us as a cure. you can stay here or continue to be a murderer in the horde after your treatment is finished and we have your blood sample," glimmer replies and adora gives her a glare.

"we are not murderers, we are survivors who fight for the greater good. you guys are the murderers," adora argues, glaring back at glimmer. 

"you're not murderers? what about all the communities that you've destroyed over the years? they've always wanted power, but now, they fight for supplies and destroy communities for them. what do you think happened to the community you were last at? it was destroyed by the horde and you were going to pick up the last of the supplies," glimmer spits and adora takes it all in. 

that would explain the supplies and why the communities always seemed to look as if they were attacked. she can't help but want to believe it's a lie, but glimmer looks truthful. she's angry for a reason.

adora is unsure about the horde, so she keeps quiet. she lets the doctor check her temperature and talk to glimmer about her situation. 

"how can i be sure you're not lying about the horde?" adora spits, clenching her fists.

"i have no reason to lie! so you're telling me you're a horde soldier and you know none of what they've done! you must me lying," glimmer argues angrily. "you're telling me you haven't even been involved in an attack?"

"no, they said the rebellion was responsible. you guys are cold blooded killers," adora says and glimmer scoffs.

"so they've been lying to you," glimmer says and shakes her head. "if we're cold blooded killers, why the hell would we save you? offer to keep you here even though you're from the herd?"

"because i'm a cure to the disease killing people everyday!" adora argues and glimmer shakes her head.

"all we would need is your blood. we could drain you of your blood and kill you, but we offer to keep you or let you go. don't you dare call us murderers, when you are apart of the horde." glimmer stomps off and adora is seething, hearing all of this, being called a murderer. 

she can't help but question everything though. she had heard of them attacking place's but she's sure they weren't innocent. the horde isn't a bunch of murderers. she's not a murderer. catra isn't a murderer. 

bow walks into the room, wearing a dirty white and gold jacket and pants. he has short, curly, dark brownish purple hair and dark purple eyes that look almost black.

"sorry if glimmer was emotional. it can be a lot seeing a horde soldier after all they've done," bow says apologetically. 

"so the horde is evil? they destroy communities?" she questions, her hands shaking and her eyes fearful.

"how could you not know?" he questions, squinting at her. "don't you notice that the communities you get supplies from always show signs of being destroyed by your technology?" 

flashes of the ransacked communities pop into her head and she wants to sob. how could use not notice? she covers her face in embarrassment, groaning. this is all too much. being hit. being immune. finding out you've been lied to your whole life. finding out your community is evil, full of murderers. 

"how could i be so dumb? i basically grew up there," she whimpers and holds her breath, holding back sobs.

"you were probably brainwashed and lied to," bow says quietly and looks at her solemnly. "i'll leave you alone to heal and take this all in," he says and walks away. 

adora questions everything, feeling so incredibly lonely and dumb. this all has to be fake. she's going to wake up next to catra and this'll all be a dream. she hopes this as she shuts her eyes, begging for sleep to take her.


End file.
